Installing openwrt on a-linksys-ea8300

[lottem]

 I am trying to install openwrt on a Linksys EA8300 using the instructions at https://openwrt.org/toh/linksys/ea8300 

 I have installed the https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/22.03.5/targets/ipq40xx/generic/openwrt-22.03.5-ipq40xx-generic-linksys_ea8300-squashfs-factory.bin Image and rebooted. Everything seems to be working fine at this point.

I have opened an ssh connection and reset the kernsize to 500000 and rebooted. Everything seems to be working fine at this point.

I have opened an ssh connection and issued the opkg update and opkg install luci package commands. Everything seems to be working fine at this point.

I have downloaded both the:
https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/22.03.5/targets/ipq40xx/generic/openwrt-22.03.5-ipq40xx-generic-linksys_ea8300-squashfs-factory.bin

and the
https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/22.03.5/targets/ipq40xx/generic/openwrt-22.03.5-ipq40xx-generic-linksys_ea8300-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin files.

Here is where I am having a problem:

When I try to browse to http://192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/luci/mini/system/upgrade I get a 404 Not Found message. At this point I am not sure how to proceed. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Ed.

[seishinui]

I can’t remember if the menu were changed but after you login to LuCI web page (192.168.1.1), click on System and look for Backup / Flash Firmware and on that page is where you can now use a factory.bin or sysupgrade.bin file image so get the latest 23.05 sysupgrade and flash through that page and make sure to not keep any settings. Then get Attended Sysupgrade to go to 24.10 (or you might be able to go directly to 25.12, not sure) then read up on owut (I’d suggest go through owut for smoother upgrades in the future) so you can get to the latest 25.12 release.

[badulesia]

@lottem

When I try to browse to http://192.168.1.1/cgi-bin/luci/mini/system/upgrade I get a 404 Not

This URL does not exist.

Follow the instructions for the MR8300. They are the same for EA8300.

First step: install 22.03 to run commands from SSH - [OpenWrt Wiki] Linksys...

Use this file to upgrade to 25.12. DO NOT keep settings when upgrading.
https://downloads.openwrt.org/releases/25.12.0/targets/ipq40xx/generic/openwrt-25.12.0-ipq40xx-generic-linksys_ea8300-squashfs-sysupgrade.bin

[lottem]

OK; I have installed ASU and AUC. I have upgraded to 22.03.7 but when I try to upgrade to 25.12.0 I get the following:

Sat Mar 7 15:18:08 CST 2026 upgrade: The device is supported, but this image is incompatible for sysupgrade based on the image version (1.0->2.0). Sat Mar 7 15:18:08 CST 2026 upgrade: Kernel partition size must be increased for this OpenWrt version. Before continuing, you MUST issue either the command "fw_setenv kernsize 500000" from the OpenWrt command line, or "setenv kernsize 500000 ; saveenv" from the U-Boot serial console. Instead of the sysupgrade image, you must then install the OpenWrt factory image, setting the force flag and wiping the configuration. (e.g. "sysupgrade -n -F openwrt-squashfs-factory.bin" on command line) Image check failed.

The uploaded image file does not contain a supported format. Make sure that you choose the generic image format for your platform.

Ed.

[seishinui]

You are jumping a lot of major versions with a lot of major changes and as mentioned in the release notes of 25.12:

@hauke

Upgrading to 25.12

Upgrading from 24.10 to 25.12 should be transparent on most devices, as most configuration data has either remained the same or will be translated correctly on first boot by the package init scripts.

• Sysupgrade from 23.05 to 25.12 is not officially supported.
• Cron log level was fixed in busybox. system.@system[0].cronloglevel should be set to 7 for normal logging. 7 is the default now. If this option is not set, the default is used and no manual action is needed.
• Bananapi BPI-R4: Interfaces ''eth1'' was renamed to ''sfp-lan'' or ''lan4'', and interface ''eth2'' was renamed to ''sfp-wan'' to match the labels. You have to upgrade without saving the configuration.

Can only indirectly mean that even upgrade from 22.03 is not (officially) supported for reasons it can/may not work.

Like mentioned, you can upgrade first to 23.05 with a sysupgrade image, then use ASU to go to 24.10 and again, check release notes which for 24.10 also states:

@hauke

Upgrading to 24.10

Sysupgrade can be used to upgrade a device from 23.05 to 24.10, and configuration will be preserved in most cases.

For for upgrades inside the OpenWrt 24.10 stable series for example from a OpenWrt 24.10 release candidate Attended Sysupgrade is supported in addition which allows preserving the installed packages too.

• Sysupgrade from 22.03 to 24.10 is not officially supported.
  –rest of the lines were cut–

So you need to be on 23.05 to be sure.

[badulesia]

Agreed, but (long story short) it can be done for this device.

[badulesia]

@lottem

OK; I have installed ASU and AUC.

no need of this.

@lottem

Sat Mar 7 15:18:08 CST 2026 upgrade: The device is supported, but this image is incompatible

This message is normal, it is meant to inform about : 1. the change to DSA, 2. the need for a variable tweak.

Just follow the instructions I gave you previously. They'll show you how to perform the tweak.
After the tweak, you can directly instal 25.12 but DO NOT keep settings.

[lottem]

Thanks for the great help guys. I now have upgraded mt Linksys EA8300 to openwrt-25.12.0-ipq40xx-generic-linksys_ea8300-squashfs-sysupgrade

Again: Thanks for the great assistance.

Ed.

[badulesia]

Congratulations.
Once you had set up the device to your will, you can flash again 25.12, this time keeping settings. Doing so you will install a copy on the other partition as a backup.